VATICAN CITY (AP) – In a historical first meeting, President Barack Obama and Pope Francis focused publicly on their mutual respect and shared concern for the poor on Thursday.
Their lengthy private discussion also highlighted the deep differences between the White House and the Catholic Church on abortion and birth control.
Obama stressed the two leaders’ common ground on fighting inequality and poverty while Vatican officials emphasized the importance to the church of “rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection.”
That point by church officials referred to a major disagreement over a provision of the Affordable Care Act.
